Saks makes a splash at Prime Outlet Mall

Outlet store has new layout, more brands

Saks Fifth Avenue's outlet store, Off 5th, opened Thursday in St. Augustine, launching the grand opening of the $35 million Prime Outlet Mall expansion with upscale stores.

Robert Wallstrom, president of Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, said this store is one of three that has a new layout. They've made the interior classier and less like an outlet mall store in a warehouse. And name brands, including Chanel, Fendi, Versace and Christian Dior, are offering more merchandise in this store.

"For example, in our other stores we might have one case of fine jewelry. Now we have 10 or 12," Wallstrom said. "And before we'd have five (cases) of sunglasses. Here we have at least 16."

Even though the economy has sunk, Wallstrom said that's not the reason why Saks increased its effort in outlet stores. He said the company found there is an entirely different client that they hadn't tapped into. Yet.

"We find that only 10 percent of our customers will shop at both (the outlet store and the mainstream store). They are totally different customers," he said. "This wasn't a response to the economy.

"We're expanding because there's a demand by customers for this outlet. We saw that two or three years ago at the height of the economy."

Their mission statement, Wallstrom said, is "Saks style, outlet prices." Even though outlet customers want a good deal they still want great service, he said. That's why they also doubled the number of sales people in this store, and someone is manning each section in the store.

Tourists, as well as locals from St. Augustine and Jacksonville, perused merchandise in the new 28,000-square-foot Off 5th building. Store policy forbade them from being interviewed.

Prime Outlets, located off State Road 16 near Interstate 95, will have 75 new stores total in its 90,000-square-foot expansion. All will open today.

The new stores include big names such as Hugo Boss, Michael Kors and Kenneth Cole. The stores will offer savings of 25 to 65 percent off regular price.

The mall is already 250,000 square feet.

Wallstrom said that, despite the economy, he has a positive outlook on the new store.

"We're excited to be a part of St. Augustine," he said. "We look forward to being a part of the community."